You win, Embark: I finally bought Arc Raiders because of PvE, and I’m having a blast
Embark’s PvE test for ARC Raiders disables hostility between players, giving the author a lower-pressure way to explore, complete quests and fight the game’s machines. The change persuaded them to buy the game after previously finding it hard to get into, and they are enjoying it both solo and with friends.
The author says PvE reduces the tension of encountering other players, while ARC machines can still pose a serious threat, particularly when playing alone. They describe scavenging across maps, collecting loot and teaming up to defeat larger enemies, and suggest the game could support both its existing extraction-shooter style and a co-operative PvE experience. They hope Embark continues to develop PvE after the test.
- The PvE test convinced the author to buy ARC Raiders.
- Players can explore without hostility from other raiders.
- The author hopes Embark keeps developing co-operative PvE.
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ARC Raiders is a multiplayer game from Embark Studios, set in a world where people scavenge for supplies while dangerous machines roam the surface. Players explore maps, collect useful items and take on quests, with the machines providing a threat even when no other players are nearby.
The game is an extraction shooter: players gather loot and try to leave the map with it, while risking losing what they have collected. In its usual mode, other players can also attack or compete with them. A player-versus-environment mode, often shortened to PvE, focuses on challenges posed by the game itself rather than fights between players.
That distinction matters because encounters with other players can make exploration more tense, while a co-operative PvE approach lets players concentrate on quests and fighting machines together. The two styles offer different ways to play, and the balance between them is a design choice for Embark.
Both sides, in good faith
The strongest fair case each way — we don't pick a winner.
The case for
A dedicated PvE option could make ARC Raiders more welcoming to players who enjoy exploration, quests and co-operative challenges but find player-versus-player encounters too stressful. The test suggests machines can still provide meaningful danger, while a lasting PvE mode might broaden the audience and let the game support different play styles.
The case against
Keeping player encounters hostile is central to the extraction-shooter experience: uncertainty about other players can make scavenging, risk and survival more compelling. A separate PvE mode could divide the player base or draw development effort from the game’s defining competitive balance, so Embark may reasonably treat the test as an experiment rather than a commitment.